Let me start by stating that I am not a doctor. See your doctor for a professional assessment of any injury you may have.

In 1996 I moved an organ by myself and in the process diffused my L5-S1 disc. After months of pain treatments and misdiagnoses, I was finally forced to have a Discectomy and Lamonectomy. For the next 10+ years I did everything I could not to re-injure my back. In late 2007 my doctor gave me the choice of losing some weight or going on meds for high cholesterol. I decided to lose the weight and started my journey into weightlifting. I had already learned a lot about my body. This journey just built upon that basic knowledge I already had. I love to research and learn and have developed for me, a process to be able to train and take care of my back. I want to take a few minutes and share a bit of what I have learned.

Most of us do not even begin to realize how much we use our back until we are unable to use it. It is foundational for standing, sitting, lifting and turning. When you can not do any of those movements, you are literally stopped “dead in your tracks.” Now, my injury was different then most in that I didn't have one bulging area, but had squeezed the disc out all the way around. My symptoms came from the pressure outward pushing on my sciatic nerve. While your injury may be different, for sake of the discussion, I will focus on my type of injury, one that is exerting outward pressure, pushing on the nerves creating pain that is shooting down the left or right leg.

, inversions and reverse hyperextensions. These exercises have helped me squat and deadlift without pain or injury.

A brief Rabbit Trail:

To create your own McKenzie table, use two benches or a bench and a chair. Incline the bench slightly. Lay down on the bench, face down for a few moments. Adjust the angle as needed.

If you do not have an inversion table or boots, you can decline your bench as far as it will go, lay down on it for a few moments. A friend reports that he can usually feel his disc slip back into place after a few minutes of this type of inversion.

These light weight squats teach and encourage proper form, while allowing you to squat with little to no back compression. When you have the form down, progress to bar only squats. Focus on form, not good form, great form. Each squat should be controlled and with great form. Slowly add weight. Don't allow pride or the guy waiting for the rack to force you to add weight too quickly, your back is more important than his curls. With patience and practice you can return to squats and even deadlifting by learning to care for your back.

While I am still growing in my weight training skills and numbers. I have been able to slowly work my way up to respectable weights for both squats and deadlifts with no further injury to my disc. The key is patience and always remembering Ward's #1. If it hurts don't do it. I would also add, don't push weight, push form. When form breaks down, stop. Do not try to “gut it out.” Stop, rerack, rest and try again later. If form goes, your back will soon follow. Take care of your back and enjoy lifting, you can do both!